The Alpha's Lost Mate [Completed]

Chapter Seventeen: The Lines

After spending all of the next day, and some of the following, in bed letting Jamie comfort me, the shock slowly began to wear off. Ay first the memories were a lot to process, but they gradually slotted themselves back where they belonged and I felt a lot steadier.

"I need to meet with Osian," Jamie said after lunch. "Will you be okay here?"

"I don't really want to be alone," I admitted. "But I could really do with a work out, I'll see if Derek's up for some training."

He smiled and kissed the side of my head gently before he left. "Just get dressed, I'd bet every penny I have he heard that and is already getting changed."

Conner's low chuckle the other side of the door confirmed this and I laughed to myself, quickly pulling leggings and a hoodie from my bag.

"Good afternoon, Luna," Derek said, bowing his head. He was still cloaked in shame from his outburst, no matter how much Jamie or I reassured him.

"Hey Derek," I replied, punching his arm lightly, trying to break the tension. "You up for a run?"

He beamed. "Absolutely!"

We set off at a jog down the winding trail that led around the back of the Rhosilli pack house towards the woods.

"Jamie said it's safe to shift here," I told him and he wordlessly ducked behind a tree, emerging a moment later as his massive jet black wolf.

He approached me slowly and bowed his head for a second, looking nervous. I wondered if he thought I was afraid of his wolf form after everything that happened. I booped him on the nose and he snorted in surprise, shaking his head, his overgrown fur ruffling out of control around his ears.

"Tag, you're it!" I exclaimed and sprinted away. It took a second for for him to realise what was happening before I heard the thud of his paws behind me. He caught up in two strides and tapped his nose into my back gently. I turned to face him.

"Okay Wolfy, I know you're super fast and all but this is no fun if you don't slow down and give me a chance," I complained and he snorted again, laying down at my feet.

I tapped him on the head and set off again, I heard him coming behind me at the same speed but as he lunged forwards to tap me he "missed" and rolled over on the floor. I laughed like a maniac as he repeated this several times before tagging me and sprinting off. He disappeared ahead of me for a few seconds, only to loop around and lap me, slowing down enough as he passed for me to catch up and tag him.

Before long we found ourselves back at the tree where he'd left his clothes and I collapsed against it, out of breath and still laughing out of control. He lay down next to me, his head resting on the ground next to my legs, breathing hard, for a few moments, and the quietness of the woods washed over us. My mind wondered back into the sad territory of everything that had happened the previous few days and I lay my head back against the tree, taking a deep breath. Derek remained still as a statue, his eyes tracking my every move.

"I don't know how to keep going forward, Derek," I whispered. "I don't know how to deal with all this - this - sadness and not let it consume me. I want to be a good Luna for the pack, but I don't think I can."

He lifted his head and nudged my thigh with his nose, his eyes looking at me sadly. I ruffled the fur between his ears and he huffed softly.

"Thanks for always having my back," I whispered, and he headbutted me, ruining the moment.

"Yeah, whatever dude, go shift, let's get back," I muttered, pulling myself to my feet.

He took a second to shift and get dressed before popping back around the tree, and we started a slow, quiet jog back to the house.